Tottenham’s Dele Alli to miss rest of season

Dele Alli, Tottenham midfielder, is expected to miss the rest of the season after being banned for three games for violent conduct.

Yacob and Alli

He admitted to the charge after television cameras showed him punching West Brom player Claudio Yacob in the stomach.

Alli, 20, contested the standard three-match penalty as “clearly excessive”, but that objection was rejected, said the English Football Association.

The 26th-minute incident was not in the referee’s report of Monday’s 1-1 draw.

However, it was caught by cameras and reviewed by an independent panel.

England international Alli was named as the Professional Footballers’ Association Young Players of the Year on Sunday.

It means his next competitive game could be England’s Euro 2016 opener against Russia in Marseille on 11 June, if selected.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said he had not seen the incident, but added after the game: “Sometimes the opponents find him and try to provoke. They know he has a strong character and may react.”

Off-the-ball incidents missed by the officials are referred to a panel of three former elite referees to decide on any sanction.

Alli has been a hugely influential figure in his debut season for Tottenham. The former MK Dons player has scored 10 goals so far and has formed an impressive partnership with striker Harry Kane.

Second-placed Spurs are seven points adrift of Leicester with three games left. The Foxes can win the title on Sunday with victory at Manchester United.